Lifetime

I made "Lifetime" in Weight Watchers back in 1997. Lifetime means you have reached your goal weight and then maintained it for 6 weeks straight. From then on, you are Lifetime and can attend a meeting for free as long as you stay within 2 pounds of your goal weight. Let's just say I don't qualify for free meetings.

I think the new Lifetime for me is the way I'm doing it now. I'm not focusing on the scale, I'm not following some wacky diet, I'm not obsessing with pounds and scales and weighing food and couting calories. Sure, the weight won't come off as quickly as if I were paying $12 a week for someone else to weigh me, but I'm willing to bet it will stay off longer. Besides, my goal weight when I was 33 and had a hyperactive thyroid is a whole lot different now that I'm almost 47 and have no thyroid to speak of... that's just reality, folks.

I do still strive for some great habits Weight Watchers taught me: eating in moderation, don't exclude all your faves or you'll crave them, drink lots and lots of water, exercise is good, etc. But this time it all boils down to one word: SURRENDER.

I surrender my weight to the Lord. I surrender my efforts to the Lord. I surrender my frustration over what the scale says (or doesn't say) to the Lord. I surrender hating my body to the Lord.

I surrender! Here's the white flag, God, cuz I can't do it! Only God can give me the power to overcome the deep seated emotions that lead me to overeating and underactivity. Only God can heal me of the past hurt that makes me to want to stuff things down with food. I surrender!